Tech support scammers want you to believe you have a serious problem with your computer, like a virus. They want you to pay for tech support services you don’t need, to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. They often ask you to pay by wiring money, putting money on a gift card, prepaid card or cash reload card, or using a money transfer app because they know those types of payments can be hard to reverse*. Quick tips:
- DO NOT RESPOND TO OUT OF THE BLUE TECH SUPPORT CALLS
- DO NOT CLICK ON ADS IN SEARCH RESULTS IF LOOKING FOR TECH SUPPORT
- DO NOT CLICK ON POP-UP WARNINGS ABOUT THREATS BEING DETECTED ON YOUR PC (unless it’s from your own anti-virus software)
The FTC has provided an article summarizing this problem, how to detect these scammers, what to do if your PC has an issue, and what to do if you were scammed.
*Federal Trade Commission: How to Spot, Avoid and Report Tech Support Scams